Birdman of Alcatraz
1962 Approved 2h 27m
Directed by John Frankenheimer
Burt Lancaster, Karl Malden, Thelma Ritter
In 1912, convicted murderer Robert Franklin Stroud is transferred to Leavenworth and kills a guard. Diagnosed as a psychopath, he is kept in solitary confinement. When he finds an injured sparrow, he nurtures it until it is strong enough to fly away. After that, Stroud learns how to care for birds and he becomes a respected ornithologist, though he will remain in prison for the rest of his life.